Diary of Marie Bashkirtseff
CZENUKFR

Tuesday, 9 January 1883

Nervo came with the young man who will lead the cotillon1 to settle the details.

Nervo est venu avec le petit jeune homme qui conduira le cotillon pour regler les details.

And then Coquelin cadet2 for the comedy — the elder is in St. Petersburg; it is there that he learned of Gambetta's death. The death of Gambetta — does that not seem to you sad and unjust?

Et puis Coquelin cadet pour la comedie, l'aine est a Petersbourg, c'est la qu'il a appris la mort de Gambetta. *La mort de Gambetta,* ca ne vous parait pas triste et injuste.

For a week I have been plunging into reading about Gambetta, Mirabeau, and the Revolution. The French Revolution belongs to everyone — so I am not ridiculous in being passionate about these extraordinary events. I am left overturned by it; it is a fever that makes me forget everything, and in the evening they give me bouillon because I often cannot eat dinner.

Depuis une semaine je me plonge dans la lecture de Gambetta, Mirabeau et la Revolution. La Revolution francaise appartient a tout le monde, je ne suis donc pas ridicule en me passionnant pour ces evenements extraordinaires. J'en reste bouleversee, c'est une fievre qui me fait tout oublier et le soir on me donne du bouillon car souvent je ne puis diner.

If I could explain myself, I would say that I am in despair over Gambetta's death. I wept for the Little Prince3 as one weeps over a melodrama — it was tragic, above all touching — that child killed abroad, so far away... But what I weep for now I could only properly express if I had the honour of being French and the happiness of being a man.

Si je pouvais m'expliquer, je dirai que je suis desesperee de la mort de Gambetta. J'ai pleure sur le Petit Prince comme on pleure sur un melodrame, c'etait tragique, c'etait surtout touchant, cet enfant tue a l'etranger, si loin... Mais ce que je pleure a present je ne pourrai bien le dire que si j'avais l'honneur d'etre francaise et le bonheur d'etre homme.

Notes

Cotillon: the cotillon was the final and most elaborate set of figures at a formal ball, led by a designated gentleman. It required careful preparation and the choice of leader was a matter of social significance. ↩
Coquelin cadet: Ernest Coquelin (1848–1909), younger brother of the celebrated actor Coquelin aîné (Constant Coquelin), and a distinguished actor in his own right, famous for comic roles. He was engaged to perform at the Bashkirtseff soirée of the 12th. ↩
The Little Prince: the Prince Imperial, Napoléon Eugène Louis Bonaparte (1856–1879), only son of Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie. He was killed in Zululand while fighting with the British army against the Zulus — an obscure death in an alien land that struck the French imagination powerfully. ↩